Quick Answer
The best waterfalls in Bali are in the north. Sekumpul, a cluster of up to seven falls in a jungle canyon near Lovina, is widely rated the most beautiful in Bali, and the falls around it (Aling-Aling, Banyumala Twin, Munduk) make the northern highlands the densest run of great cascades on the island. The south and central regions have their own standouts, mostly easier to reach: Tegenungan near Ubud, the light-beam canyon of Tukad Cepung, and tall, thundering Nungnung. If you want one waterfall and you want the best, it is Sekumpul. If you want a half-day from Ubud, the central falls deliver without the long drive.
Bali Waterfalls at a Glance
- Where the best ones are: The northern highlands of Buleleng Regency, inland from Lovina, hold the island's top tier
- The standout: Sekumpul, up to seven drops in one canyon, tallest around 80 meters
- Easiest to reach: Tegenungan and Kanto Lampo near Ubud, both short walks
- Best for swimming and jumping: Aling-Aling in the north, with cliff jumps and natural slides
- Most photogenic: Tukad Cepung, a cave canyon lit by midday sun beams
- Entry fees: Range from a few thousand rupiah to a mid-range cooperative fee; cash only at every site
_(to confirm)_ - Best season: Dry season, April to October, for firm trails and safe canyon crossings
- Best time of day: Morning, everywhere, for light and smaller crowds
Bali has dozens of waterfalls, and a fair number of them are worth the drive. The split that matters is geographic. The volcanic spine of the island runs through the north and center, and the steepest, highest, most dramatic falls gather in the northern highlands above Lovina, where the rivers drop off the Bedugul plateau into deep jungle canyons. That is Northbound territory, and it is where the genuine showstoppers are.
The catch is access. The best northern falls ask for a real trek, a guide, and a morning start. The southern and central falls, clustered around Ubud, trade scale for convenience and fit neatly into a half-day. This guide ranks the island's best across both, so you can match the waterfall to the kind of day you want. The deep dives on the northern falls live in our dedicated pages, linked throughout.
A note on fees: every site below charges cash at the gate, rates change without notice, and some now run a parking-plus-entry-plus-guide stack rather than a single ticket. Treat every figure here as a starting point and confirm on arrival.
The North: Where the Best Falls Are
Sekumpul
Sekumpul is the one to beat, and most who have seen it stop arguing the point. It is not a single waterfall but a cluster of up to seven drops set into a steep jungle canyon, the tallest falling roughly 80 meters down a fern-covered wall. The mist reaches you before the falls do. Getting to the base means a guided descent, a river crossing or two, and a genuine staircase climb back out, so allow at least 90 minutes on site and come early. The local cooperative manages access and a guide is included in the gate fee.
Where: Sekumpul village, Buleleng Regency, north Bali, about 45 to 60 minutes inland from Lovina, roughly 3 hours from Ubud or the south. Difficulty: moderate to hard. Entry plus guide _(to confirm)_, cash only. Full detail in the Sekumpul waterfall guide.
Aling-Aling
Aling-Aling is the north's adventure waterfall. Alongside the main 35-meter drop, the site has a set of lower falls rigged for cliff jumping and natural rock slides, run through a local guide system that includes safety gear and shows you where the water is deep enough. The jumps step up from a few meters to over ten, and you choose how far you go. It pairs naturally with Sekumpul, about 20 minutes apart, for a single big day of waterfalls out of Lovina.
Where: Sambangan village, near Singaraja, north Bali, roughly 30 minutes from Lovina. Difficulty: moderate (steep steps; jumping is optional). Entry plus guide for the jump circuit _(to confirm)_, cash only. See the Aling-Aling waterfall guide.
Gitgit
Gitgit is the most accessible of the famous northern falls and the right call when you want a real waterfall without a canyon expedition. A paved path of around 20 minutes each way leads through clove and coffee plots to a single clean 35-meter drop with a pool at its base. It sits close to the main road between Bedugul and Lovina, which makes it an easy stop on the crossing rather than a dedicated half-day. Good for families and anyone skipping the harder treks.
Where: Gitgit village, on the Bedugul to Singaraja road, north Bali. Difficulty: easy. Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only. Covered fully in the Gitgit waterfall guide.
Banyumala Twin Waterfall
Banyumala is the quiet stunner of the north: two parallel cascades pouring side by side into a wide, shallow, swimmable pool ringed by green. It feels more like a hidden grotto than a tourist site, and it stays calmer than Sekumpul or Gitgit even in season. The walk down is steep but short, perhaps 10 to 15 minutes, with a steady climb back. It sits near the Bedugul lakes, which makes it easy to fold into a north-crossing day.
Where: Wanagiri area, near Lake Buyan, central-north Bali, on the route between Bedugul and Munduk. Difficulty: easy to moderate (short steep descent). Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only.
Munduk and Melanting Waterfalls
The Munduk highlands hide a string of falls reached on foot through coffee and clove plantations, the two best known being Munduk Waterfall and the taller Melanting nearby. This is the most walkable waterfall area on the island, a cool mountain village where you can link several falls on a single forest trail rather than driving between car parks. The altitude keeps it crisp, the crowds thin out, and the trekking is the point as much as any single drop.
Where: Munduk village, central-north highlands, around 45 minutes from Bedugul. Difficulty: easy to moderate (walkable trails, some stairs). Entry per fall or a combined trail fee _(to confirm)_, cash only.
For the full northern run mapped together with routes between each site, see the north Bali waterfalls guide.
The South and Center: Easy Wins Near Ubud
Tegenungan
Tegenungan is the most visited waterfall in Bali, and the reason is simple geography: it is the closest big waterfall to the southern resort belt, under 30 minutes from Ubud with no real hike. A short staircase leads to a broad, powerful curtain of water with a swimming pool below and a row of cafes and viewpoints above. It gets busy and commercial, so arrive early, but for a quick waterfall fix without a mountain drive it does the job.
Where: Kemenuh village, Gianyar Regency, central Bali, about 25 minutes from Ubud. Difficulty: easy. Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only.
Tukad Cepung
Tukad Cepung is the photographer's waterfall. The fall sits inside a slot canyon, and around mid-morning to noon the sun drops through the gap in the rock to throw a shaft of light onto the water. The approach involves a short walk and a wade through a shallow stream into the cave, which is half the appeal. Time your visit for the light, roughly 10am to noon in dry season, and skip it after heavy rain when the canyon can flood.
Where: Tembuku, Bangli Regency, central Bali, about 45 minutes from Ubud. Difficulty: easy to moderate (stream wade, slippery rock). Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only.
Nungnung
Nungnung is the tall, loud one. A single drop of around 50 meters thunders into a churning pool, and the spray carries far enough to soak you at the viewing platform. The price of that power is the climb: around 500 steps down and the same back up, which makes it the most demanding of the central falls. It sits on the high road between Ubud and Bedugul, so it slots well into a day crossing toward the north.
Where: Plaga, Badung Regency, central highlands, about an hour from Ubud. Difficulty: moderate to hard (long stair descent and climb). Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only.
Kanto Lampo
Kanto Lampo is a different shape from the rest: a wide, tiered cascade that fans out over a stepped rock face rather than dropping in a single fall, which lets you climb partway up into it for the photo everyone comes for. The pool is shallow and the walk in is short, making it one of the easiest and most social waterfalls near Ubud. It is small, so pair it with Tegenungan or Tibumana to fill out an afternoon.
Where: Beng village, Gianyar Regency, central Bali, about 30 minutes from Ubud. Difficulty: easy (short walk, light scramble). Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only.
Tibumana
Tibumana is the gentle, pretty one near Ubud, a single soft curtain falling into a calm round pool in a quiet jungle setting. It stays far less crowded than Tegenungan and the walk down is short and shaded, which makes it a favorite for an unhurried morning swim. The water is clean and the depth is friendly for casual swimmers. An easy addition to a central-Bali waterfall loop.
Where: Apuan village, Bangli Regency, central Bali, about 40 minutes from Ubud. Difficulty: easy. Entry _(to confirm)_, cash only.
Why the North Holds the Crown
Geology decides this. Bali's rivers gather the most height and force as they fall off the northern volcanic plateau toward the Lovina coast, which is why the tallest, fullest, most layered falls cluster there rather than around Ubud. Sekumpul shows several drops at once; Banyumala runs as a matched pair; the Munduk valleys hide whole strings of cascades on a single trail. The central falls near Ubud are real and worth a half-day, but they are mostly single drops built for convenience, not the scale you get up north.
The reason the south sees more visitors is distance, not quality. Most travelers base themselves around Seminyak, Canggu, and Ubud, so Tegenungan and its neighbors win on the drive time alone. The waterfalls that reward the trip most, though, are the ones that ask for it. If you are crossing to the north or staying near Lovina, you are sitting on the best the island has.
The efficient move for the serious waterfall traveler is to fold the north into a stay rather than attempt it as a long day return from the south. Base a night or two near Lovina and you can cover Sekumpul, Aling-Aling, Gitgit, and Banyumala without rushing. The north Bali waterfalls guide maps the routes between them.
FAQ
What is the best waterfall in Bali? Sekumpul in the north, by most accounts. It is a cluster of up to seven falls in a jungle canyon near Lovina, with the tallest drop around 80 meters, and it is widely rated the most beautiful waterfall on the island. The trade-off is a guided trek down a steep canyon and a real climb back out.
Where are most of Bali's best waterfalls? In the northern highlands of Buleleng Regency, inland from Lovina. The volcanic terrain there produces the tallest and most dramatic falls on the island, including Sekumpul, Aling-Aling, Gitgit, Banyumala, and the Munduk cascades.
Which Bali waterfall is closest to Ubud? Tegenungan, at around 25 minutes, is the closest major waterfall to Ubud and needs almost no walking. Kanto Lampo and Tibumana are also within about 30 to 40 minutes and make an easy central-Bali loop.
Which waterfall is best for swimming? Banyumala Twin and Tibumana have calm, friendly pools for casual swimmers. Aling-Aling is best if you want cliff jumps and natural slides, run with a local guide for safety. Sekumpul has a cold, clear pool at the base of the main drop.
How much do Bali waterfalls cost to enter?
Fees range from a few thousand rupiah at smaller sites to a mid-range cooperative fee at managed falls like Sekumpul and Aling-Aling, where a guide is bundled in. Every site takes cash only at the gate, and rates change, so confirm on arrival _(to confirm)_.
Do you need a guide for Bali waterfalls? Only some. Sekumpul and the Aling-Aling jump circuit are managed by local cooperatives and a guide is required and included in the fee. Most others, including Gitgit, Tegenungan, and the central falls, you can visit on your own.
When is the best time to visit waterfalls in Bali? The dry season, April to October, gives firmer trails, predictable water levels, and safe canyon crossings. Go in the morning year round for the best light and the smallest crowds. After heavy rain, canyon falls like Sekumpul and Tukad Cepung can close on safety grounds.
Can you see the best waterfalls in one day? The northern falls, yes, if you base near Lovina and start early: Sekumpul and Aling-Aling pair well, with Gitgit added as a short stop. Trying to combine north and central falls in a single day from the south means too much driving and not enough waterfall.
What is the tallest waterfall in Bali? Sekumpul's main drop, at roughly 80 meters, is among the tallest. Nungnung in the central highlands runs about 50 meters in a single powerful drop. Both reward the effort, and both involve a serious stair climb.
Which waterfall is best for photos? Tukad Cepung for the light beams inside the cave canyon, best from around 10am to noon. Kanto Lampo for the tiered rock face you can climb into. Sekumpul for sheer scale across multiple drops.
Are the southern waterfalls better than the northern ones? The southern and central falls are easier to reach but mostly single, smaller drops. The north holds the island's top tier for scale and drama. The south wins on convenience; the north wins on the waterfalls themselves.
Planning a north Bali waterfall day from Lovina? Message Northbound on WhatsApp. The north is home ground here, and so are its waterfalls.